House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee advances bill exempting milk trucks from weather-related commercial vehicle travel bans

The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recently approved legislation which would exempt milk trucks from weather-related commercial vehicle travel bans.

Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter) introduced the legislation, House Bill 915, in response to the Wolf Administration’s issuance of a disaster emergency declaration this winter in which commercial vehicles were banned three times from some portions or all of the state’s interstate highways in anticipation of snow or ice accumulations.

“While I understand the public safety concerns that may prompt officials to impose a travel ban on commercial vehicles, it causes a major problem for our dairy farmers,” Causer said. “Cows simply don’t have an ‘off switch,’ nor can their milking schedules be changed to comply with weather and travel conditions.”

During an information meeting last week, committee members heard from dairy farmers, state transportation and emergency officials and milk haulers about the impact of this past winter’s travel bans on their operations.

At the meeting, dairy farmers and milk haulers discussed their experience with driving off-road and in other difficult conditions. One milk haulers noted that diverting heavy milk tanker trucks off interstate highways and on to local roads that aren’t as well maintained could increase safety risks.

“It is important to recognize that travel bans are more than just an inconvenience for milk haulers and dairy farmers,” Causer said. “Milk is a unique commodity because cows keep giving it whether the farmers have room for it in their bulk tanks or not. Our farmers need to be able to move their milk no matter what.”

House Bill 915 was amended in committee to require that haulers who wish to be exempt during travel bans obtain a decal issued by the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board.

The bill now goes to the full House for consideration.